If you’re a student with wanderlust in your blood and you want to prepare for your future but still squeeze in a bit of travel at the same time, there is a way. Traveling while in school can definitely be done, it just takes a bit of planning and foresight.
Figure Out Where You Want to Go
If you plan on sticking stateside, then you will be able to pay for school exactly as you normally would. However, if your plan is to travel overseas and stay there for any length of time, you may want to carefully review that your financial aid will cover classes taken in other countries. This is a huge reason you should look into funding your college through private student loans that you repay after graduation versus government-backed student loans. When you go through a private lender, you have more flexibility as to what and where you can spend the funds. Since traditional student loans are backed by the U.S. government, they are usually only able to be applied to coursework done within the country.
Study Abroad
Most colleges have programs that allow you to study overseas or in different countries. These programs allow you to enroll in classes in different countries and stay there for varying lengths of time. Some programs may last for only one semester while others may last for a longer duration. No matter the length, the cost of traveling to these countries while under the umbrella of school is significantly cheaper than doing it on your own after you graduate.
Research Grants
There are certain degrees that allow students to apply for research grants. These grants would allow you to live in another state or even another country without paying for your schooling. Since not every program offers these types of grants, you will want to meet with your financial aid office to ascertain if your program of study does.
Crowdfunding
One unique way of funding your scholastic journey overseas is to look into crowdfunding it. If there are no grants or study abroad programs available to you, try opening a crowdfunding profile on any of the platforms available to you. When using this option, it is a fun idea to keep a regular blog so that people can follow you on your adventures and see how their money is being enjoyed.
Online Classes
If your university offers extensive online classes, you can enroll in these to continue your schooling while you are traveling. If you are going to take this route, it is highly advisable that you meet with a student advisor to help design a class schedule that will correspond with your travel schedule. You also need to keep in mind that online courses have no direct supervision so it is completely up to you to turn your work in on time. Some are good at this while others could use some improvement.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
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